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An underpainting was built up using thin washes of oil colour until the composition appeared in half tones and basic colour. The painting was then worked on with thick opaque paint and transparent glazes where applied over this when it was dry to modify the colour and to deepen the tones where necessary.
Thick light paint was applied with a pallete knife and my fingers, kitchen roll etc. until a fairly hefty impression of light began to appear. Alternate sessions of opaque painting and thin clear glazing continued as the image developed
At this stage I was a bit surprised to get up one morning and see a mountain where I thought there was only meant to be cloud. As the brief for this commission was not specific to any locality I just followed this and strengthened the “mountain” shape a bit more.
Once a painting begins to get its own identity I would always prefer to “listen” to it in this way and change direction if a strong idea comes from the painting itself. It can be quite an eerie experience though - almost as if someone else is painting besides myself.
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